Variation of venom and thoracic muscle proteins of vespa orientalis populations in relation to geographical isolation in southern sinai protectorates, Egypt

الملخص EN

The oriental hornet Vespa orientalis was surveyed in three Wadi systems in South Sinai protectorates (Wadi Mandar in Saint Katherine protectorate, Wadi Kheriza and Wadi El-Kid in Nabq protectorate) during June and July 2005.

Such survey was operated to look at the variation within and among individuals in these sites using venom and thoracic muscle proteins.

SDSPolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [PAGE] was used for the separation of protein sub-units and determination of the protein molecular weights.

A total of 82 polymorphic bands were detected with molecular weights ranging between 375 to 6 KD from 72 individual wasps collected from these three localities.

The data matrix of proteins pattern of venom and its related UPGMA-based dendrogram showed that there were some variations in the number and position of bands on the scale of individual comparison. However, these variations were slightly detected when comparing the different localities and sub-localities of the studied Wadis.

On the other hand, the data matrix of proteins pattern of muscles and its related UPGMA-based dendrogram showed very low variation either within or between sites.

It is proposed that although the three Wadis are considered as narrow Wadi beds bounded by high mountains, these mountains are not high enough to be considered as untraversing barriers for the wasps that are characterized by a very high mobility of flying which may enable them to cross the ridged mountain barriers and moving across the adjacent Wadi systems.